The True God of War Book I
by Arwingmaster23
Summary: Kratos has returned to the world of living, and there is only one way for him to defeat the gods.  But will he take the risk?
1. Chapter 1

The True God of War

By: Arwingmaster23

Chapter 1.

Kratos threw the next blade into the rocky wall and paused. His breath was running short. He glanced downwards and saw the same thing he had seen for years, black. He looked back up. "Athena! Why have you betrayed me! I could not allow the power of hope to give life to the gods! The gods have never helped their children or their servants!" Once more he got only silence.

He leaned back, sucked in all the air he could, and roared. "Athena! Answer me!" He leaned his head back against the cold rock and sighed. He raised his head and began to climb again. "Do I deserve such slander, Kratos?" The Ghost of Sparta turned to the speaker's voice. Floating behind him was the goddess of love herself, Aphrodite. "Do I, the only god who helped you through your torment on Olympus deserve to be slandered by my dearest lover?"

Kratos closed his eyes. "You are the only one who truly cared for me, Aphrodite." The goddess moved closer and carressed his cheek. "Dearest Kratos, if you so desire it, I shall be the vessel for your revenge upon Athena and Zeus." Kratos looked up. "You would give birth to a god slayer?" Aphrodite smiled. "For one night I can transport you to my bed chamber. There we shall begin your final act of revenge." Kratos looked downwards into the pit, it would be nice to see a change in scenery. "If it brings the destruction of Olympus, make it so." Aphrodite smiled seductively. "Then let us go Kratos."

Aprodite snapped her fingers and they were instantlyin her bed chamber. The Ghost of Sparta collapsed onto the floor. "Oh no Spartan." Aphrodite said. "You must at least have some energy to get to the bed." Kratos struggled to get to his feet and balanced on a window railing. When he gazed out, he saw an unimaginable site. A wide city with lights everywhere he saw, and moving objects making loud blaring noises. "What is this? What is this world? This is not Mount Olympus!" Aphrodite walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Much has changed since your time Ghost of Sparta." It has nearly been 2000 thousand years since you slayed the gods." Kratos moved from the windows and sat on the edge of Aphrodite's bed.

Kratos rested his chin in his hands. "2000 years. I climbed out of that damn pit for 2000 years! And yet I have gotten nowhere!" Aphrodite sat next to him and griped his shoulders. "No, you are near the edge of Tartarus, Kratos. That is why I have chosen now to bear your child my love. Together you two can conquer the world of gods and mortals ."

"While I climb out of Tartarus, my child would do exatly what?" Aphrodite climbed to the head of her bed and presented herself. "He, or she, would train like a Spartan warrior. Aclompish impossible tasks that even the heros of Olympus had trouble to acoumplish."

Kratos bowed his head for a moment. "My revenge ends soon Athena. Prepare for your demise." And with that he crawled onto the rest of the bed.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2.

(19 years later: The Sea of Monsters)

The Hydra roared up from the sea only for it's main head to be split down the middle. The Spartan warrior who held the bloddy sword that cut the Hydra landed on the deck of his ship and resumed his batle stance. "Ikelik, you will not defeat the Hydra just by slicing it's neck. Burn the stumps of it's neck." Ikelik, son of Kratos and Aphrodite looked to the statue of his mother at the head of his ship. His mother would talk to him through it, his father had used the same way to communicate to Athena.

Ikelik avoided a tail from the Hydra and rolled onto the edge of the deck. "How am I supposed to do that mother?" He jumped onto another tail and stabbed it in between the armor plating. When he landed back on the deck, his mother's statue glowed. "Take this power." she said. "It is the power that was enchanted on your father's Blades of Exile that could summon the power of fire onto his blades."

In an instant a gem in the gaurd of his sword glowed red, and the blade caught fire. He gave a bit of a chuckle. "Alright, now we're talking!" he said. When the next Hydra tail tried to flatten him, he rolled out of the way and jumped on to it. Luckily, the Hydra head had only regrown it's head when he sliced it open.

He stabbed the sword into it's neck and ran across it's shoulder blades. When he reached the other shoulder, he pulled out his blade and threw himself at the neck. When it budged only a litte, he focused his strength on the gem in the blade of his sword and slashed at the cut in the neck horizontally. A wave of fire arched across the space between him and the Hydra neck, burning the stump and seperating the head. The corpse of the Hydra fell off the ship except 1 chunk of a tentacle.

Ikelik jumped off the corpse and picked up a piece of armor, just as he picked it up, his mother spoke again. "Take the scale to my husband, Hephaestus, The God's forge master. He will make it into Highly durable Sparatn armor." Ikelik tossed the armor onto the deck as the the rest of the tenticle dissipated.

"Is it wise to see your husband, mother? I'm your son of another." Ikelik asked. The ghost crew of his ship reappered as Aphrodite kept talking. "Hephaestus is used to me having children with other men. He also owes Kratos a favor." Ikelik nodded and pointed at the ghost at the helm. "Set course for the island of the Nemian Lion. The ghost nodded. "I still need the Nemian Lion's fur untill I return to Olympus mother. I'll need the best armor if I'm to help my father."

"Very well. Remember Ikelik, the Nemeian Lion's only weakspot is in it's open mouth." Ikelik nodded and the statue fell silent. Ikelik's ship was the fastest in the entire Greek navy. It's name, The Ghosts of Sparta. It's crew were actualy ghosts of Spartan navy men. Their souls were never avenged when Zeus destroyed Sparta, even when Kratos killed Zeus.

Ikelik hung from a mast head and breathed in the salty air. He felt comfotable out on the sea. Aphrodite said Kratos felt the same way when he was serving the gods after Ares made him his slave. The ghost crew were provided by Aphrodite, who had been able to pull some strings with Ares, who had finaly given in to have the souls loyal only to her and Ikelik.

A towering structure loomed in the distance, putting a shadow over the sea. "What is that?" a sailor asked. Another spoke up from the bow. "Tis the lair of Scylla and Charybdis! We must turn back now!" Ikelik grabbed the robe of the ghost and hefted him off the deck and slammed him into the main mast head. "Then go back to to the underworld! The true God of War needs me to complete my tasks!" He pushed him in farther into the mast. "You would betray your God!"

The sailor looked afraid. "I am the son of the God of War, betray my will and I will insure you sufur in the deepest pits of the underworld for this!" The ghost grabbed at Ikelik's hand. "No! Lord! I shall obey! I shall obey!" Ikelik dropped the sailor and walked to the bow of the ship. "Stay on course. If these monsters wish to stop us, they are gonning to have to destroy this ship untill not even a splinter is left!"

The ghost at the Tiller, nodded. "Aye Lord! Keeping course!" The ship shuddered as it flowed into the narrow entrance of the cave. The cave was damp and a houling wind echoed through out the cave. "Torches! Set up torches on the edges of the ship!" The ghosts ran about the deck of the ship setting up torches. "Get below deck! I'll deal with Scylla." The ghosts melted through the deck and and left Ikelik on the deck except for the ghost at the sturn.

There was a reptillian growl just ahead. "Come on." he muttered. "Where are you?" There was a holwing scream and a tentacle snaked down to grab him. He pulled out his sword and slashed it off. He turned around and slashed at another trying to get around him. "Lord! Behind you!" Ikelik turned only to see a tentacle wrap around his waist. He was lifted into the air, up towards Scylla's mouth. He freed his sword hand and slashed at a clawed tentacle heading for his face. Another one came down and slashed a deep gash into his sword arm. "Aaarrrgghh!" he cried. 3 clawed tentacles heading to end his life, when he slipped from conscious.

When he woke up, he was in a vast chamber. 4 mirrors surronded the room giving him a full view of his back and sides. "It is not your fate to die at the hands of Scylla, young man." Ikelik stood his ground and rose to his feet. He reached for his sword only to reach an empty scabbard. "I will not die at your hands either Sisters!" Lachesis, the 2nd Sister of Fate, floated up from the shadows.

"We do not wish to harm you, son of the war god. When Kratos trapped Atropos and I in the past, we realized that there was no way we could kill any member of your lineage." Ikelik lowered his defense a bit, only a little bit. "Do you wish to live warrior?" she asked. "What question is that? Yes!" Lachesis disappered, only to be replaced be two snaking chains that whipped around around his arms. There was a sizzling sound as the chains burned onto his skin. He gritted his teeth and and closed his eyes. The pain was incredible!

When the pain ceased, he looked at his hands to see he was holding 2 three and a half foot twin blades. They had a small insignia inscribed on the inside of the blades on the gaurd. A set of silver wings. On the outside of the blades, a red gem was inplanted on the right and a blue gem embedded on the left.

"With the Blades of Fate, you shall be powerful enough to kill Scylla and be able to serve your father. And when you see Kratos, tell him that the last 2 remaining Sisters of Fate have his aid."

With that, he found himself back in Scylla's grasp. He got his hands up from being trapped from his sides and drew the blades from his back. He slashed a large gash into Scylla's arm and ran up the arm. When he saw the face of the monster, he threw both his blades into her eyes and then slashed at the base of the monster. Scylla let out a howling scream of pain and lashed out with everything she had.

He swung from Scylla's back and thrust his left handed blade right into the center of Scylla's mouth. He repeated this 2 or 3 times and dropped into the crows nest of The Ghosts of Sparta. Scylla disapated and only a long knareld tooth that fell into the crows nest remained.

He climbed back down onto the deck and set it ontop of the Hydra scale. "Alright, let's go every one!" he called, stomping on the deck. The ghosts rose from the deck and went back to their stations. The nervous ghost who had doubted him a moment before walked up to him. "Please forgive me lord, in the past life I was killed by the combined forces of Scylla and Charybdis." Ikelik patted the ghost on the shoulder. "Fear is a tough thing to be rid of. But do not let your fear get in the way of my quest."

Ikelik crossed to the front of the ship and grabbed a small bomb with a cannon fuse. He lit it and threw it over a waterfall not that far ahead. A few seconds later, a huge explosion of greek fire and and ear shattering scream filled the air. "Now Scylla and Charybdis are no more." he said to himself.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3.

(3 hours later; A mile off the cost of the Nemian Island)

Ikelik rolled on his bed. More dreams, they had been coming more and more these days. He saw a small camp in a valley, he was standing next to his father, Kratos, as he killed a dragon and took the Golden Fleece from a tree, him slaughtering people weilding ancient greek bronze weapons.

More images flashed through that he was barely able to make out, then, he saw it. The Blade of Olympus. "Hear me, Spartan." a grisly old voise said. "Only through my help will you be able to find the Blade of Olympus." Ikelik walked up to the sword and grabbed it's hilt. "Only with the help of a Titan, will you succeed against Zeus." He turned to see a old woman made completly out of dirt and earth. "Gaia." he said. "I helped Kratos, your father, long ago Spartan. And only with my help, will you be able to achieve your goal." Anger flashed in Ikelic.

"It is because of you, crone, that my father nearly died on the assault on Olympus!" The Titan of Earth lashed back. "Foolish mortal! If wasn't for me your father would have died when the Spartan army perished at Rhodes!" "You are just like Ares!" Ikelik hissed. "You made my father your servant and then betrayed him in the end. You used my father the same way you did Zeus. Used his hatred to lash out on his father. That is why you were imprisoned, and then later killed by the God of War!"

"Silence!" Gaia yelled. "It seems that you are even more thick skulled then your father. I tried to help you boy, but be warned that you have made an enemy out of the Titans." Ikelik drew his blades. "Enough of this madness." he said, and cut the image of Gaia into clumps of dirt. "Watch your step, Spartan. I shall have my sons teach you a lesson of gratitude towards your elders." Ikelik grimaced. "Spare me the theatrics Gaia. My quest shall not be denied by the likes of you."

Ikelik opened his eyes and sat up on his bed. Gaia wouldn't stop him. Gods or Titans, it didn't matter. He and his father would kill all that did not serve The God of War. He put his armor on and strapped the Blades of Fate to his back. he opened the doors of the hold and walked up onto the deck. The ghosts scrambled over the deck untangling sails and preparing arms.

The island of the Nemeian Lion drew closer. He instructed the ghosts to close the sails and prepare a boat to got to shore. Ikelik jumped into the boat and rowed to shore. After about 10 minutes, he reached the shore and looked into the jungle. He heard a roar over the wind, and it wasn't the wind itself. He walked up from the beach and into the jungle.

He swatted at flies and cut branches in his way. He had been walking for about 3 hours when he heard a branch snap. 'The lion?' he thought. Instead, a girl with pale blond hair jumped from the trees and fired 3 arrows at him. He rolled out of the way and threw one his blades at her legs. The chain wrapped around her feet and he threw her into a tree.

Her back slammed into the tree and stunned her for a while. When she looked up, Ikelik was running and jumped into her. The force of them colliding split the tree in half, they landed with Ikelik on top of her holding a blade above her neck. "So Gaia has decided to kill me now rather than later." he said. The girl looked confused. "I know nothing of Gaia. It is you who has come to kill me! The camp has decided I am to dangerous to live!" Ikelik backed off a bit. "Camp? What camp?" The girl took her chance and kicked him off her and pressed a knife to his throat.

"Do not play dumb with me. It would just be like the camp to send an assassin to kill me!" Ikelik rolled her off him and flipped backwards and recalled the blades to his hands. The girl held her knife in a combat stance. "I have come this far for the Nemian Lion's fur. I do not know of a camp of any sorts." he said. The girl slowly lowered her knife. "You are not from Camp Half-Blood?" she asked. Ikelik put the Blades of Fate in their resting place and held out his hands.

"I was raised on Mt. Olympus by my mother Aphrodite." The girl dropped to her knees. "Please forgive my sire. I did not mean to harm a god." Ikeik shook his head nervously. "I'm not a god either. I am the son of the goddess Aphrodite and a demi-god son of Zeus." The girl rose. "Forgive me, son of Aphrodite. I have been trapped on this island for years. Always weary of the wildlife, always afraid of Camp Half-Blood finaly sending someone to kill me. A life of loneliness is not meant for one so young."

Ikelik crossed the space between them a few steps. "I am sorry for startling you. May I ask your name?" the girl turned to hima nd picked up her bow. "I am Jessica, forsaken daughter of Apollo." 'A daughter of Apollo, an outcast?' he thought. "Jessica, if I may pry." he said following her into the jungle. "What happened for you to be banished by this Camp Half-Blood?" Jessica looked back at him and focussed on her way. "I discovered an ancient scroll in the atic of the big house, the camps main biulding.

"It turned out to be a journal written by Athena. It potrayed a Spartan warrior who at one time held the throne of God of War. The gods later betrayed him, stripped him of his title and powers. He sought rightful revenge. And was then betrayed by his allies, and the goddess he once trusted; Athena herself."

Ikelik recognized it as his father's story. "Kratos, God of War." he said. "Hmm?" Jessica asked. "I am the son of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and Kratos, the true God of War." Jessica turned. "Really? You are actually the son of the God of War?" Ikelik nodded. "I was born to help my father over throw and destroy the gods of Olympus. I was born to be a god slayer."

Jessica stopped and turned. "You really are the son of the God of War. Those blades are similiar to the ones described by Athena. When I discovered that the gods had betrayed Kratos, I was angry at the campers, the camp directors, and the Ares children. For my betrayl and reading a forbidden scroll. I was banished in the Sea of Monsters, abanded by my friends, my family, and my father himself."

Ikelik followed her in farther into the jungle. It lead to a cut it off in the forest leading into 2 directions. "The Nemian Lion's hunting grounds are just ahead. Watch your back though, the Nemian Lion is a tough one to kill." Jessica turned right and walked down another seperate path.

"You won't come with me?" he asked. Jessica turned, a sad expression on her face. "I never finished my training. If I went up against the Nemian Lion as I am, I might get killed." Ikelik held out his hand. "But you would have the help of the War God's son." Jessica seemed to weigh the options in her mind. She then took his hand. "Alright, I'll help you. But I want off this damned island." Ikelik shook her hand. "Deal."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4.

Jessica led the way through the jungle, pushing branches away. "So how do you know where the Nemian Lion hunts anyway?" Ikelik asked. "Well," Jessica said. "When you live on a small island for 8 years, you can't help but hear a lion roaring not far off." Jessica led him into a clearing where there was a shrine with a statue of the Nemian Lion. "Are there any natives on this island?" Ikelik asked.

Jessica shrugged. "I don't know, I haven't seen anyone but you for 8 years." Jessica brushed past the statue and into an even bigger clearing with 5 grasshuts out in the feild. A growl came from the central hut. Ikelik drew his blades and Jessica notched an arrow. From the central hut came Ikelik's target, the Nemian Lion. It's claws were bloody, and in it's jaw was an arm connected to a corpse. "Thought you said there weren't an natives around here?" Ikelik asked. "None that I ever came across."

The Nemian Lion dropped it's food and roared at the new comers. Ikelik stood in a battle stance and Jessica looked down the shaft of her arrow. The Lion charged knocking Jessica aside and roared up onto it's hind legs, ready to strike. Ikelik rolled to the side as the paws came down and stabbed the Lion into it's right eye.

Keeping the blade in the eye, he ran along side it and then jumped onto it's back. He swung the other blade and stabbed it in it's other eye. The Lion roared and jumped onto hit's hind legs. Jessica recovered from her attack and notched an arrow. She waited for the lion to open it's mouth and when it did, she fired an arrow past it's maw and into the inside of it's cheek.

The lion roared and threw Ikelik off his back. The Spartan rolled into a landing and brought both blades to bear. Jessica rolled away from the lion as it swatted at her for shooting it in the mouth. She notched another arrow and stood ready. "Don't suppose you have any arrows lined with Greek Fire?" Ikelik asked. Jessica shook her head, keeping her eyes on the lion. "Nope, haven't been near the stuff since I was at camp."

The lion roared and charged. Ikelik croutched and threw a blade through the lions maw and into the back of it's throat. The lion roared and tired cutting through the chain attachde to the blade's hilt. Ikelik ran up to the lion and actually** jumped **onto the lion's jaw. Using the other blade to cover his hands, he pushed up and put pressure into his legs, trying to break it's jaw.

The lion pushed down harder on him. "Damn." Ikelik grunted. "This sucks." Jessica took this moment and jumped onto the lion's head and stabbed it in the eyes with her knife. The lion roared and shook Ikelik and Jessica off. Ikelik stood and ran to the lion. Swinging his right handed blade again, it swung through the air and went right through the lion's rear.

The lion roared and fell onto it's side. Ikelik slowly approached the lion and then drove a blade through it's eye and deep into it's brain. The rest of the lion dissipated untill only a long pelt of the lion's fur remained.

Ikelik picked it up and slung it over his shoulder. He checked himself to make sure he wasn't hurt much, only a few bruises and a few scratches on his arms. He helped Jessica up who had a long bad gash on her bow arm. "Come on," he said. "we got to get back to the-" He looked up to see a group of natives ringing around the clearing. "-ship." he finished.

One of the navtives raised a spear and shouted something to the others. "That can't be good." Jessica said, now on her feet. The other natives roared the same thing and charged inwards. Jessica notched 2 arrows and fired into the crowd. Ikelik grabbed his blades and sliced several of the spear weilding natives down.

"Follow me!' Ikelik said. Jessica followed him through a throng of natives as the Spartan cut them all down. "I hope that ship of yours is fast!" Jessica said. "I want to get off this island quick!" Ikelik sliced down branches in his way, throwing a cocky smile back at her. "Fastest ship in all of Greece!" he said. A spear impaled itself into a tree next to his head. "The problem is going to be getting to it!"

Ikelik and Jessica jumped through the final layer of foliage as the natives kept jumping out of the trees. The crew of the Ghosts of Sparta watched confused as they saw their master and some random girl running from an army of natives. Jessica knotched her last arrow and sent it flying through a couple of native's heads. "That was my last arrow!" Jessica said.

Ikelik threw the pelt into the boat and pushed it into the water. "Come on!' he yelled. Jessica jumped into the boat and picked up an oar. Ikelik pushed the boat further into the water and jumped into the boat himself. He started rowing and ducked as a spear impaled right in front of his feet. "Row faster!" Jessica said. Ikelik and Jessica started to row faster as the natives started throwing more spears.

The crew on the Ghosts of Sparta ran along the deck pulling up crossbows and cannons onto the side facing the beach. "Fire!" Ikelik yelled to his crew. cannon balls filled with greek fire and large arrows peppered the beach, blowing the natives away and impalling them to the sand or trees. The rest of them stayed on the beach scattering from the Ghosts of Sparta's weaponry.

Ikelik and Jessica rowed up close to to the ship and cables were dropped down to them. They attached the cable's to the hoks on the ship and waited to be lifted out of the water. The crew hoisted the small boat to the top of the ship. "Get us away from this island, now!" The Ghost at the wheel started turning it away from the island. "Aye aye sir!"

Ikelik turned to her. "You have done a great survice towards my farther, and I have given you what you asked. I would apreciate it if you would help me some more Jessica." he said. She shrugged. "I'll consider Ikelik, now where's the infirmary? This gash won't stitch itself up."

Ikelik pointed to a ghost who was walking among the ropes strewn across the floor. "He'll give you some nectar for the wound. She walked off and Ikelik walked to the statue of his mother. "Mother, I have slain the Nemian Lion. Now I need someone to weave it's pelt into my armor."

His mother's aura returned to the statue. "You must seek out Arachne, the mortal enemy of Athena. She will weave the pelt into a cloak of unstopable armor." Ikelik bowed his head. "Thank you mother, where can I find her?" Ikelik asked. "Arachne can be found in the remains of Crete, where she challenged Athena into her infamous weaving contest."

"Crete! My farther would have risen by the time I would return here to the have your husband forge the Hydra armor!" Ikelik said. "Do not worry my son." Aphrodite said. "Arachne can also be found near the sea of monsters. Find the island of Nassu, near the Bahamas. There you will find Arachne." Ikelik bowed his head again. "Yes mother."

His mother's aura faded from the statue and he turned to the pilot. "Set sail for the island of Nassu! My quest is coming closer to an end!"

(10:30 PM, 80 miles away from the island of Nassu)

Jessica sat on the edge of the crow's nest, the cool sea breeze blowing through her hair. "Finaly free of the island." she whispered to herself. "Let your resolve is questionable." someone said behind her. She turned to see one of the Spartan ghosts she had seen around the ship. "Before you ask." The spartan said. "I am Master Ikelik's instructor, Elwerf. I have been with the Master since he was born, Lord Kratos and Lady Aphrodite have instructed me to gaurd him with whatever remains of my life."

Jessica just nodded. "So you are sworn to protect Ikelik untill your final death." The ghost nodded and 'sat' on the edge next to her. "Please, tell me daughter of Apollo, why have you sworn to serve Lord Kratos?" Jessica sighed. "The gods had abandoned me to the island of the Nemian Lion. I wanted my revenge against those traitorous bastards."

"So to do this you align yourself with the only one who can help you?" the ghost asked. Jessica stared daggers at the ghost. "I was abandoned on that island for 8 years, none of the gods sought to help me. I came close to the death more than 12 times during my time there. The only Half-Blood I had seen in years was Ikelik, the son of the true war god."

"So you seek companionship, and revenge?" the ghost asked. "You could say that." she said. The ghost looked up at the stars, humming a soft tune to himself. "Tell me, ghost of Sparta," Jessica said to her companion. "what really happened to Sparta. What drove Kratos to kill the gods?" The ghost looked down from the heavens casting his gaze upon the tortued ghosts of the crew. "The fault belongs to the gods Ares and Zeus. Ares binded Kratos to his will and forced him to slaughter his wife and child, then the oracle who binded the ashes and nightmares of his crime upon him. After Kratos fulfilled the gods will of killing Ares, they refused to take away the nightmares that haunted him for 10 years."

"After being stripped of his godly powers at the hand of Zeus, Kratos waged a campaign against the gods. Kratos was succesful in his endauver, but was killed in his sleep by Athena. At this moment, Lord Kratos is climbing his way out of Tartarus to finally kill the gods." Jessica looked down at the shimmering blue images of the ghosts. So many souls lost their lives on the hope that their god would exact vengance against the gods. "I promise, if it helps at all, to help Ikelik destroy the gods." The ghost nodded and gave a smile. "It helps to know that we have someone to help us with our cause." Jessica turned and dropped onto the floor of the crow's nest. "I should get some sleep. I just wanted to look at the stars, knowing I wasn't about to die." she said.

The ghost looked up at the stars. "We all need to, sometimes." he said.

(Off the coast of Nassu, 8:23 AM)

Ikelik looked out onto the island of Nassu. To a mortal it looked lik paradise, but to the ears of a half-blood, it was an island death trap. Jessica walked up next to him. "Know anything about this place?" she asked. Ikelik jumped up onto a boat. "Only what the books in my room said, an entire island inhabited monsters and deranged demi gods. Ever book I consulted said that this is one of the most dangerous places for Greek children in the entire world." Jessica jumped onto the book and grabbed hold of a pully. "And your mother said Arachne would be here?"

Ikelik started to lower the boat into the water. "That or go all the way to Crete." The two rowed the boat to shore, talkng battle stategies to adapt with Jessica's bow and Ikelik's blades. They left off on a ranged tactic when the boat reached the shore. Ikelik helped Jessica out of the boat and they headed toward a massive cotage on the shore. Jessica knocked on the door. "Hello? Anybody home?" An empty echo of her voice bounced around the house, untill some one called back. "Leave here and never return!" Jessica pounded on the door again.

This time the voice was closer. "I do not deal with the children of Olympians! Leave me be!" Jessica sighed and busted the door down with a quick kick to the center of the door. An old woman jumped back ward in surprise. Jessica walked up and grabbed the crone by her dress. "We aren't with the Olympians! Now answer my questions, damnit!" Ikelik Stood behind the threshold with his eyes open and his arms crossed. "Aah! Scary half-blood! Why the half-blood need me!" the crone screetched. "We're looking for someone, now what's so hard about answering a few questions!"

The crone tried prying Jessica's fingers, Ikelik walked in and looked around. She had several different relics hung on the walls, Greek vases, shields, swords, chunks of armor, helmet plumes, all sort of other ancient artifacts. "I never answer! I never!" Jessica sighed and dropped the crone onto the floor. "Well this place is a bust." she mumbled under her breath. "Not really, where's your daughter?" Ikelik said to the old crone. "No daughter! Am not mother! Will not say anything!" Ikelik nodded and jessica picked up the crone again. "The relics you've collected are mostly pointed to one spot of hatred, Athena Goddess of Wisdom."

The crone seemed to grow angry and tried getting free of Jessica. "Not mention that name! Athena shall die! Not mention that name in this place!" Ikelik chuckled, he was right. "Listen crone, I seek Arachne's help. I've come to seek her help to mend a cloak out of the Nemian Lion's pelt." The crone tried wriggling out of Jessica's grasp on her dress. "I will not help children of gods! Gods ruined my daughter! Arachne will not help you!" "Relax mother, I will deal with our 'guests'."

From a dark corner of the house, a giant spider withthe upper body of a woman where the head should have been crawled out. "I am Arachne, why have you sought me out half-bloods?" Jessica released Arachne's mom and walked to Ikelik's side. "I am Ikelik, son of Kratos and Aphrodite." Arachne's eyes widened. "Kratos? God of War, I have not heard that name in a long time. Why do you bother me now son of Kratos?" Ikelik walked closer and knelt. "Lady Arachne, I have sought you out to help me in the destruction of the Olympian gods. Even the goddess that has binded you to this form." Arachne smiled wickidly. "Kill Athena? I'm interested. What would you have me do?" Ikelik took the pelt and held it out to Arachne.

"I only ask that you weave a cloak out of the pelt of the Nemian Lion. From there I will help my father destroy the gods. The curse that Athena placed on you will be removed and you will return to your natural state." Arachne turned her back to them, nearly crushing her mother under her legs. "I wish I could help you, son of Kratos, truly. But when I came to this island, I did not have my sewing materials." Jessica stood next to Ikelik and kneeled. "But, you are half spider. Can't you just weave it like a web?" Arakne turned back to them and shook her head. "Child, weaving a web and weaving from fabric is completly different. With web, I am weaving single strands together. But with matieral, I have to remove several parts to form what I need."

Ikelik swore under his breath. "Maybe I can help you. What would you need?" Arachne chuckled. "You are that devoted child? You are willing to risk your life for me to gain mere armor?" Ikelik stared directly into her eyes, into her very soul. "Arachne, I was born to serve my father. To kill the gods of Oylmpus who would not serve him. We may not have many allies, but I will do what my father asks of me and kill the so called gods of Olympus!" Arachne stared at him in surprise. "Such tenacity, such devotion to one's parents. Fine, there is a colony of giants living in the mountains, they've stolen half-blood women and several different items from the villages here on the island. Their bound to have taken a loom for the women to make clothes for themselves and the women. Bring me the loom and I shall make you your under armor.

Ikelik stood and gave a small bow, Jessica followed suit. "Thank you, Lady Arachne. We will be back with the loom." The two half-bloods left the house, Jessica picking up the door and setting it in the door frame and walked away from the building. "Pillaging now huh? What are giants going to do next?" Ikelik looked up at the mountain in the distance. "So giants are now capturing half-blood women who are condemmed to this island, and forcing them to weave clothing for them. I always thought they ate them." Ikelik said aloud. Jessica shouldered her bow and headed for the mountain. "Let's go, those ginats aren't going to be stolen from by themselves."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5.

Ikelik grabbed the out crop of rock ahead of him and pulled himself up. He reached up for another hand hold sliping on some of the wet rocks. He grabbed a chunk of rock and pulled up, only for the rock to crumble under his hand. "Damn!" he said. "Jess watch it!" Jessica looked up and jumped to the side, dodging the rock and grabbing onto another out crop. Ikelik looked down to see Jessica give him a thumbs up. "Look, I'll use my blades to make hand holds. Use those to climb up." Jessica nodded. "Alright. When your ready." Ikelik took his blades out one at a time, jabbing them into the walls and climbing up. Jessica followed using the blade holes as hand and foot holds.

Ikelik pulled his blades out and jabbed them into the wall one at a time, making a slow climb towards a flat line on the mountain. After about a few minutes, he pulled himself over the edge and forced air into his lungs. He saw Jessica pulling herslef up, he helped her pull herself over the edge. "Why are giants so far up from the ground?" Jessica said, after taking a drag on her cantine. Ikelik stood up and put his blades on his back. "The Titan Gaia is the mother of the giants. It's said that she's taller than some of the worlds largest mountains when she's at her full power. My theory is that the giants live on the mountains to be closer to their mother." Jessica sat on her knees and wiped the sweat from her forehead. "Like a babe clinging to their mother." she said. Ikelik looked up as a towering cry pierced the sky.

Jessica stood and listened to the scream. "Some one isn't happy." she said. ikelik looked up at a path towards the source of the sound. "That's good for us, let's go." The two half-bloods drew in a final calm breath and started off up the trail.

They had been jogging for a two hours when another roar peirced the sky, making whatever birds that had been nesting near them scramble off. "Must be getting closer, those giants don't seem to be getting things their way. Let's hurry." "Right." Ikelik led the way up to the top of the path and into a clearing. There seemed to be more than some minor troubles for the giants, unless having your half-blood slaves revolt is considered minor. The women who had been taken for slaves for the giants had started fighting back against there masters, using hand carved spears and staffs.

"Come on!" Ikelik said. "Let's help them out." "Right!" Ikelik took both his blades off his back and jumped at the nearest one, climbing up the leg armor on it and stabbing holes into the chinks as he climbed. "Aargh! First women attack, now gods send help!" Ikelik wove his way up to the giants face and looked him straight in the eye. "I'm not with the gods of Olympus, and I'm not with your motherly titan either." He jumped up in the air and brought both of his blades down the center of his skull Slicing the giant in half down to his torso. When he landed on his feet, the giant's body slowly dissapated into brown dust, the rest of the giants focussed on him.

"You half-blood! You smell different! You are demi god, but smell is different!" A giant said. Jessica jmped up from nearly being squashed by a giant's hands. "But you girly," it said again. "You smell of Olympian." Jessica jumped onto it's hand and stabbed a few holes into it's hand with her hunting knife. "Foolish mortal." her target said, knocking her off. Jessica grunted as she was shaken off and fell on her ankle wrong. "Damn!" she said, clutching her leg. The giant raised it's foot, ready to squash Jessica into oblivion. 'This is it,' she thought. 'I guess you win father. Bastard." A shadow darted in the corner of her eye, she turned to see a figure with dual chain blades leaping out at the giant. 'Lord Kratos?' she thought. The figure sliced off the foot of the giant and landed with his back to her. "Do not touch her giant!" Ikelik roared to the wounded giant.

Jessica looked at the blades in Ikelik's hands, they were the same blades but they were lined with gold and had grown out a bit more, about 3 inches. The giant fell onto it's back, clutching at the stump that had been it's leg. Ikelik looked back at Jessica. "Are you alright?" he asked. Jessica gasped, Ikelik's eyes had narrowed like a cat's and a firey aura was surronding him. "I'm fine, what about you?" she asked. Ikelik turned back to the giant. "A power the Sisters of Fate have given me, a way to unleash incredible power stored in my blades. My father was able to use this sort of power before."

Jessica got into a sitting position, the rest of the giants were being slaughtered by the half-blood women, the only ones were the giant that tried to kill her and one hiding behind him. "You said you would help me father Jessica. Do you wish to live by that oath?" Ikelik asked. Jessica took a swig of nectar and struggled to stand, using her bow as a crutch. "My father wouldn't wouldn't help, he wouldn't even send help. You have given me the chance to have my revenge, I'll help you untill my dying day!" An orange glow grew around Ikelik growing a foot over his head and causing a warm wind to grow around him.

"In the name Kratos, God of War and Slayer of Gods: I banish thee to the darkest pits of Tartarus!" He pushed both of his blades together, causing a blinding golden light. When the light faded, Ikelik was still bathed in orange light his eyes still cat like, but his blades had combined into a 7 ft. sword with both gems embedded into their respected sides. "Feel the power of the son of the God of War!" Ikelik swung his sword and a wave of orange energy shot from the blade, completly destroying the last two giants. Jessica shielded her eyes as the glare blinded her. When she looked back, Ikelik was holding both of the Blades of Fate and was in the middle of sheathing them.

Ikelik turned from the charred ground where the giants had been and turned to help Jessica. "Come one, lean on me." Ikelik wrapped her right arm around his shoulder and helped her walk back to the path. "Wait half-blood." Ikelik stopped and turned. Jessica let go of him and put all her wait on her bow. The women aproached and bowed their heads. "Thank you for helping us. We wish to help you for saving us from the giants. Is there anything we can do?" Ikelik approached and looked at them. There was about a hundred women who had survived their servitude to the giants. "How did you end up here on Nassu?" he asked. The leader of the women stepped up to him. "Punished by the gods, we were to dangerous to keep as soldiers of the gods."

"Forced into exhile because of being what you are." Ikelik said under his breath. The leader bowed her head. "Please son of Kratos, there must be something we can do." Ikelik nodded and closed his eyes for a few seconds. "Serve my father. Kratos is destined to destroy the gods and bring in a new era that the gods of Olympus have tried to stop for a thousand years. Join me, and you van have your revenge on the gods for punishing you." The women talked amongst themselves. From what he heard, most of the women approved but some were unsure.

"Why have we not heard of this Kratos?" one asked. Ikelik folded his arms. "Kratos succeded in killing all of the Olympian gods except for Aphrodite. He had brought what every man had feared, chaos. However Athena some how survived being killed and used the power of Hope from Pandora's Box to kill my father and recreate the Gods of Olympus, the world, and erase Kratos from mortal history. Only the gods know of him and what he did." More murmuring from the group. After a bit of discussing, the leader stepped up to Ikelik. "My name is Telootha. We will aide Lord Kratos in the process of destroying the Gods of Olympus."

Ikelik bowed his head. "I thank you and your people Telootha. Now I must ask something of you." Telootha nodded. "As you will Lord." Ikelik pulled the Nemian Lion's pelt out of his bag. "I need a loom for Lady Arachne to weave me armor out of the Nemian Lion's pelt." Telootha nodded and gestured from one of the women. "Sayla, find a loom and break it down for travel." Sayla nodded and ran off. Jessica sat down on a rock, rubbing her sore leg. "Do you need help m'lady?" a youg girl asked. Jessica turned to see a girl no older than 12 standing near her. "Uh, I'm fine, but I might need a splint for my ankle." The girl nodded. "Be right back m'lady."

The girl ran off, leaving her there. She took a swig from her water cantine and swished it around before spitting it on the ground, washing out a bit of blood. "Here you are m'lady." The girl was back and handed her some cloth and and a smooth peice of wood. Jessica took them. "Thank you, uh, what's your name?" she asked. The girl smiled up at her. "Tailos, m'lady." Jessica smiled. "Tailos, that's a nice name." The girl smiled and walked off back to the group.

"Are there any male half-bloods on the island?" Ikelik asked. Telootha shook her head. "No, something on this island drew them crazy and they all drowned themselves off about 2 years ago." The young half-blood nodded. "Once your girl comes back, we'll head back down to my ship. Once Arachne finished with the pelt, we're heading for the island forge of Hephaestus." Telootha nodded. "Here she comes now." Sayla ran up with a compacted loom. Ikelik took it and headed for where Jessica was talking to Tailos. "Let's go." he said to them. Telootha whistled and waved for her warriors to follow her.

Ikelik had Jessica lead the half-blood women to the Ghosts of Sparta while he took the loom to Arachne. He knocked on the door and watch as the door fell to the ground. "Yes we still haven't fixed the door since your last visit." Ikelik walcked in and placed the loom in front of him. "Lady Arachne, I have brought you the loom you have requested." Arachne walked out of the shadows and looked over the loom. "Excellent, Spartan. Now give me the pelt and I shall weave you an invunrable garment." Ikelik took the pelt from his bag and layed it next to the loom. "How long will this take Lady Arachne?" he asked. Arachne took the pelt into her human arms and rubbed it between her fingers. "About 12 hours. Come tommorrow afternoon, and the pelt will be ready for you Spartan."

Ikelik nodded and left the house, pulling the door up after him. He headed back to the shore where the ship was moored and waved to the crew. A boat was lowered into the water and was roared to shore by Jessica. "The women are all settled in, Ikelik. Did Arachne say how long the pelt would take?" she asked. Ikelik jumped into the boat and sat down. "She said to come back tommorrow, after that We'll set sea for the forges of Hephaestus to get a Hydra scale forged into armor."

The 2 rowed back to the ship, to be greated by Aphrodite's statue. "Kratos has nearly reached the edge of Tartarus, you may not be there to meet him. But you will be with him for your first major offensive." Ikelik nodded. "Thank you mother. Arachne is preparing the Nemian Lion's pelt. As soon as she's done, we'll head to the island forges of your husband." "Very well, I shall inform him of your arrival." The aura from Aphrodite's statue faded, leaving only the sound of the crew working. Ikelik went down to his cabin and sat down in a chair. The exhaustion from using his rage as a weapon had drained him, almost to the point of killing himself.

At least Jessica was alright, at the moment that was all that-. He stopped himself. What was he thinking? He barely knew this girl yet he felt drawn to her, was this because of Aphrodite's gift? He shook his head and picked up his journal, writing in detail about the new ability with the Blades of Fate. He made a note to talk to the Sisters about what other powers her could use. When he finished writing he picked up a book about Aphrodite's magic. he had to know about the feelings he had for his friend.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 7.

(The Underworld: Late at night)

On the edge of Tartarus, a hand shot up over the pit and clamped down on the hard rock and dirt. Kratos pulled himself over the edge and fell on his back, pulling lungs full of air untill they felt like bursting. He closed his eyes and focused on pulling air into his lungs and slowly releasing. A slight hum started around him and a soft hand touched his cheek. "Welcome back to the world of the living, my beloved." Kratos opened his eyes to see Aphrodite smiling.

Kratos put his hand over hers and breathed out a sigh of relief. "Finaly after a thousand years I have escaped my own hell." he said under his breath. Aphrodite helped him sit up and kneeled next to him. "Your son has acomplished much Kratos. Would like to see?" Kratos looked at her. "My son." he said. This was the first he had heard that his child was even a boy. "Sow me." he said. Aphrodite gently placed both of her hands next to his ears. Images flashed into Kratos's mind, showing a boy wearing Spartan armor battling and killing monsters over his youth. It finaly should him weilding the Blades of Fate killing Charybdis and the gaint camp on Nassu Island.

"Ikelik is now waiting for the Nemian Lion pelt to be woven into a cloak by Arachne on the island of Nassu." Kratos actually felt himself tear up, he had even felt moisture under his eyes in years. "Is something wrong Kratos?" his lover asked. Kratos wiped his eye and stood. "I am proud of my son. That is all." Aphrodite smiled, she felt proud of her son as well, just not as Kratos felt. Kratos looked around, the underworld had changed. The river Styx was a black muck filled junk he did not recognize. "Does Hades still rul here?" he asked. Aphrodite nodded and pointed south. His castle stood out in a dark blue and black glow.

"Return to Olympus and gather any one who will listen, I will deal with Hades." Aphrodite nodded. "As you wish, Lord Kratos." Aphrodite snapped her fingers and vanished in a pink mist. Kratos looked at the castle and started walking off. It took him awhile untill he reached a farry dock where a person was leaning against the wood, a pole in his hand and his foot hanging off the dock. Kratos walked up to him and grabbed him by his cloak. "You! Take meto Hades' palace!" The figure, or rather skeleton, jumped as he made eye contact with him. "Kratos? How did you- How did you get out of Tartarus?" Kratos shoved the frerryman into the boat and jumped in himself.

Kratos pulled out his Blades of Exile and put one to the man's neck. "Take me to Hades' palce now!" The ferryman jumped up and ran to the back of the boat and started to row. Kratos stood and watched as the boat crawled further across the river. He clenched his fingers as the boat hit the shore, he stepped off and swung his blades backwards, cutting the ferryman's head clean off his shoulders. The grass, when there was some, was knarled and tried grabbing at his legs. He stormed up to the amin door, cutting down 2 skeletons holding spears and greek armor gaurding the door.

When he knocked the doors down, a group of skeletons were massing in the hallway. On the otherside of the army was a women. "Persephone." Kratos said under his breath. The queen of the underworld pointed at Kratos. "Kill him!" she then turned and ran as door slammed shut behind her. The skeletons all charged at Kratos readying their weapons. Kratos readied his blades and let out a war cry. "Aaaaaaaarrrrrrgggghhhhh!" Hacked his way throught the army of the undead, hacking bones apart, breaking them into small shards, and seperated the strand conecting them together.

When all of the skeletons littered the damp dark floor, he crossed to the door and looekd at it. It opened from the ground or pulled up from by a chain link system. Kratos dug his fingers under the door and tried pulling it up. After a minute, he pulled his fingers out from under the door and looked closer at it. A skeleton had wedged it's arm into the gears of the mechanism that opened the door before he had killed it. He pulled the bone out and trued again. Putting his fingers under the edge of the door, he lifted it up from the door way and threw it up into ceiling.

Persephone was in the throne room, talking with an Iris image of Hades. "You have to hurry Hades! Kratos has rissen from Tartarus, he has killed Charon and has breached the palace!" "Calm yourself, Persephone. Kratos will not be able to fight his way through my army." Kratos walked down a set of stairs. "Maybe you couldn't Hades, but I have." Kratos said. Persephone turned, her face wracked with fear. "Hades, please help." she said. She then waved her hand through the image. "You could not stand against the first time we fought Persephone. What makes you think you'll be able to win against me this time?"

Persephone walked away from where the image was and went to her throne. "I have been meaning to use my new weapon. But I did not expect to use it against you." She went up the steps to her throne and pulled an obsidian long sword from behind it. She walked down and stood 4ft. away from Kratos. She unsheathed the sword and watched as Kratos unsheathed his Exile blades. They just stood for a few seconds, looking directly into each other's souls. Kratos moved first, dashing forward and swinging his blades without throwing them. Persephone blocked each blow for blow, catching both of Kratos's blades on her sword.

Persephone jumped back wards and pulled a chunk of the earth out and threw it at Kratos. The Spartan swung his blades and cut the rock in half. Persephone jumped up from behind the rock and thrust her sword at Kratos. Kratos parried the blade and slashed at the goddess's face. The queen of the underworld threw herself backwards only to avoid the blow but ended up getting a nasty cut across her face. Golden ichor trailed down her face and into her right eye. "You are resliant Spartan, but I will personaly send you back to the lowest point of Tartarus!" With that she sprouted wings from her back, glowing a green aura.

"Our battle has just began Ghost of Sparta!" She readied her blade and waved for him. Kratos charged and and lowered his blades to the ground, drawing sparks from the obsidian rock. He jumped into the air and brought his blades down on Persephone's sword. The goddess buckled a bit on the second hit, almost falling onto her back. When Kratos dropped back down to the ground he pulled every ounce of his rage from his core and unleashed it. "Feel the rage of Sparta!" he said, rapidly striking Persephone's gaurd making her retreat backwards deeper into the throne room. He focused most of heavy blows on her gaurd and striked with light attacks on her ungaurded areas.

Persephone jumped backwards into the air floating above Kratos. "Do you see goddess? I will not simply wait for my fate to be handed to me!" Kratos said. Persephone grinned, despite that she was bleeding onto the floor. "Foolish mortal, you do not possess the power to kill me." Kratos walked up the steps to Hades throne. "You only think I cannot kill you. Much has changed since our last meeting." Persephone hovered opposite of Kratos as he climbed the stairs. "My husband told me you used my coffin as a means to kill me. I will make sure your toture will be worse than that of Prometheus."

Persephone dive bombed at Kratos, trying to take his head. Kratos jumped over the goddess and hooked his blades into her side and swinging her into coloumns lineing the walls. The goddess struggled to her feet and was able to raise her sword by the time Kratos had ran up to her and stabbed her in the gut with his right blade. He pressed her into the wall and slammed her into the floor. Persephone gasped for air as Kratos's blade ripped her lungs to shreds, golden ichor pooling out from the blades. "You are but the first death in my war against the gods." Picking her up by her hair, she flung her into Hades' throne. He picked Persephone's obsidian sword watching as it turned into a black form of the Blade of Olympus, a dark aura surronding the blade.

Persephone tried to focused on trying to have her regenitive powers to work. Kratos walked up the steps and thrusted the blade through her abdomen. She grunted in pain as the blade turned her organs into ribbons. "A new age is coming to earth, one where the Olympians will be a stain in the past." He twisted the blade and tore Persephone in half . Her remains turned into wheat and then into a golden aura that was abosrobed by Kratos. "The powers of a god, I have not felt it's strength in so long." With that, he left the palace of Hades behind.

Ikelik bolted up from his bed, cold sweat running down his chest from his nightmare. He sat up and slowed his breathing, focusing on pulling the images back to his mind. First he saw Gaia reaching out for him, Kratos falling down a dark pit with several sword wounds, and Jessica being slowly tortued by a goddess. He got up from his bed and paced a bit, untill there was a knock on the door. He crossed the room and opened the door to see Jessica patiently waiting in the door way. "Jessica? Something wrong?" he asked. Jessica shrugged. "I don't know really, can I come in?" she asked. Ikelik nodded and let her in.

Jessica walked in and sat down across from Ikelik. "Can I ask a question?" Ikelik propped his feet on the desk and shrugged. "Sure, whats on your mind?" Jessica looked down at her hands. "Do all children of Aphrodite have an aura that attract mortals and demigods?" she asked. Ikelik almost stumlbed out of his chair. "What? I mean, uh, yeah **normal** children of Aphrodite do. But I don't think it count's when both of my parents are gods, I think." Jessica looked up. "How would you know?" she asked, her curiosity peeked.

Ikelik put his feet down and thought. "Well, I grew up around all sorts of women on Olympus. When I reached 16 none of them seemed to be attraced to me so I just guessed I didn'y have my mother's 'gift.'" Jessica seemed to let go a breath of air she was holding. "Okay, well that was all I wanted to know." she said getting up. "Actually," Ikelik said. "I had a few questions I wanted to ask you." 'Shit!' Jessica thought. She sat back down again. "You said when we met about a camp of demi-gods. Mind telling me about it a little?" he asked. 'Phew.' she thought once more.

"Well, it's pretty much the way as it sounds. Gods still have children with mortals, and when the mortals can't take care of them they go there." Ikelik nodded and jotted a few things into a notebook. "What happens there? " he simply asked. "Well, a half-blood's godly parent usually claims their child on the first day. When a child isn't claimed, their sent to the Hermes cabin. Since he's the god of travel, he takes in all the unclaimed." Ikelik nodded. "So how did you know you were a child of Apollo?" Jessica shrugged and closed her eyes. "The camp instructor, a centaur named Chiron, told me that when I was a baby Apollo dropped me off at camp Half-Blood because he couldn't raise me on Olympus."

Ikelik shook his head. "A parent who wouldn't even raise their child." was all he said. Jessica shrugged. "Yeah, it didn't exactly put me on good terms with my dad." Ikelik nodded. "Well, thanks Jess. I mean Jessica, sorry." Jessica stood from her chair. "No, it's alright. I like Jess. it sure is alot easier to say." Ikelik chuckled. "Guess so. Well good night." Jessica opened the door of the cabin. "Thanks, good night." And then she left. After waiting a few seconds, Ikelik punched himself in the arm. "Stupidstupidstupid! Focus you moron! Yo don't have time for this kind of thinking!" "You need to relax, my son." he turned to see Aphrodite perched on the edge of his bed.

"Mother! When did you get here?" he asked. Aphrodite pursed her lips. "About 2 seconds ago. But what we're really talking about here is you." Ikelik shook his head. "My feelings don't matter here mother." Aphrodite rolled her eyes and sighed. "You are so like your father. Why don't your feelings matter? That girl is probably the only one who can understand your loneliness. Not to mention she ain't exactly to bad to look at either." Ikelik turned to his mother, his face beet red. "Mother!" "And why don't you call me mom? Why the hell are you always so formal." Aphrodite asked. Ikelik looked down at the maps sprawled on his desk. "A Spartan should always be polite and respectable on duty." he said, hiding his face.

Aphrodite blew a strand of blonde hair out of her face. "One, you made that up. And two, whose children did the Spartan soldiers sleep with when they were away from their wives or girlfriends? Oh! That's right, mine. Your own sisters." Ikelik turned, embarrsed was not the word to be used. "Mothe- Mom, please for me sake will you stop talking like this in my prescense!" Aphrodite smiled. "Hey just trying to be a mom! And I guess I succeded." Ikelik ducked his head again. "All joking aside ikelik, it's all right to imbrace your feelings, even when it's about other women. Alright honey?" Ikelik looked into his mother's eyes, she was smileing and her green eyes were kind and full of love.

"Do you always asume that form when you talk to me?" he asked. Aphrodite laughed and hugged her son. "When you were born I was feeling like this that day, so everytime I was around you I always asumed this form. It was the one you fell in love with me as your mother after all." Ikelik held her close and smiled. "Yeah, guess your right."

(5 minutes earlier)

Jessica closed the door behind her, keeping the smile on her lips untill the door was fully closed. Then her smile dropped into a sad frown. 'Stupidstupistupid!' she yelled at herself. 'The way his life has gone he doesn't have time for those kind of feelings!' She walked down to the cabin that Ikelik had given to her. "Gods I am such and idiot!" she said after her door closed after her. She walked over to her bed and collapsed onto the flufy mattress. "Why, why did I have to develope a crush for him?" she said into her pillow. "I mean, he's only tall, handsome, kind, and those green eyes..." she sat up and slapped herself across the face. "Idiot! Quick, get him out of your head!"

Unfortuantly for her, she couldn't. "I can't think of him this way," she said after calming herself down. "He's my captain, my friend, and the son of my god." She lowered herself down and looked up at the wood ceiling. The calm rock of the boat on the water acted like a rocking cradle and she slowly dirfted off into sleep. When she opened her eyes, she was standing in a large throne room, dressed in Greek armor. She looked around and saw Ikelik standing at the other end near a throne. She walked toward him and they simply looed at each other.

Ikelik offered his hand and she took it. He pulled her closer and hugged her. "It's finaly over Jess. Now we can be together, forever." Jess closed her eyes and squeezed him closer to her.


	7. Thank You

From the Desktop of Arwingmaster23

To all my readers of The True God of War

Don't worry this'll be quick! I just want to quickly say how happy I am that all of you have picked up my book this fast and that I am really sorry I haven't written much lately. You are my encouragement to keep on writting and to never douby myself. So please, bear with me as I try to complete this triology in my darkest moments and brightest days. So please, if you haven't read all of my other stuff lately enjoy them while I write more about the destruction of the Gods of Olympus. And pleasepleaseplease leave reviews on every chapter, I know I don't post those R&R things at the bottom of the page but I really enjoy reading your comments wether their good or bad. if their good it means I'm doing an okay job, if their a little disheartening that tells me I've done something wrong and that I need to fix something which tells me your worried about this will turn out.

So once again readers, I thank you. It brings a smile to my face to read your comments on what I had originaly thought was a total bull shit. I'm not kidding! I really thought no one was going to like this! But as soon as I posted up a few chapters I recieved so much feedback all at once that I nearly cried of happiness. So I will start writting more chapters of the True God of War Book as soon as I get the time 'cause as we all should know, High School is a bitch. So a little lesson plan now, I will take about a month or 2 break between book 1 and book 2 but other than that you should expect more on the way. So stay tuned, and please write reviews for me to enjoy. Thank you and good night, good morning, whatever. Just enjoy yourselves.


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7.

(Off the coast of Nassu; 8:35)

Ikelik woke up as the sun started to shine through the port holes in the room. he blinked a few times and got dressed. He walked out onto the deck and watched as his crew worked with the half-blood women. Jessica stood on the edge of a boat looking out at Nassu. "You said Arachne would be done with it by this morning?" she asked. Ikelik nodded. "Yeah, let's get going. I want to get to the forges as soon as possible." Jessica nodded and the two lowered the boat into the water. They rowed to shore and shored the boat close to Arachne's shack. The edge of the door was nailed shut, probably Arachne's mother trying to keep them out or just trying to keep the door shut.

Ikelik knocked on the door, only to watch it fall down again. "Guess they don't have carpenters here." he said. Arachne was no where in sight, and neither was her mother for that matter. "Arachne, are you here?" Jessica said. The click of spider legs echoed in the shadows. "Come in half-bloods, come in. I have just now finished the pelt." Ikelik walked in first, having Jessica follow behind him. Arachne stepped out of the shadows, a cloak draped in her human arms. "Here you are, son of Kratos. The Nemian Lion's pelt sewn into a cloak of impenturable armor." Ikelik took it and draped it over his shoulder. "Thank you Lady Arachne. We shall depart at once." "Wait just a moment boy."

Ikelik turned as Arachne walked closer to him. "When you are next on Olympus, do me this one favor. Make sure that Athena suffers for what she has done to me. I want her to know the pain I have felt these part years." Ikelik smiled and bowed. "As you wish, m'lady." With that he backed away and exited the door with Jessica in tow. "How can we be sure she didn't do anything to the pelt, what if it's cursed or something?" Jessica asked when they were out of hear shot of the house. "Your thinking she would cast a spell on the pelt so she could control me?" he asked. Jessica only nodded. "Ikelik headed to the boat and shrugged. "Let's put that to the test." he said. He snapped his fingers and in an instant, Arachne's house exploded in a blast of Greek Fire.

Jessica turned as the wood from the house scattered all over the beach. She turned to see Ikelik waiting at the boat, some sort of black sparkle falling from the pelt. "Use others and be used," he said. "even if she hadn't put a spell on it I would have killed her." Jessica, stunned from what had transpired, kicked the boat into the water and hopped on. "Trust only the ones close to you is what I say." Ikelik said, grabbing an oar. Jessica nodded and started to row. Arachne's house kept burning as The 2 met up with _The Ghosts of Sparta_. Ikelik jumped onto the deck and pulled the Nemian cloak out of the boat. He unsrtapped his armor and took his old cloak off. Jessica pulled her eyes from his chest, pink running across her face as he pulled the Nemian cloak over his body.

Ikelik restrapped his armor on, finishing by tighning the straps on his arm bracers. The Nemian pelt was just like any other robe he put under his armor, but he knew this one could withstand anything. "Helmsman! Set course for the island forges of Hephaestus! Soon I shall join my father in battle with the most powerful armor on the planet!"

(California, Los Angeles; 10:32)

Kratos burst from the doors blocking his way up to the surface. The souls in the other room scattered, throwing them selves onto the Ghost of Sparta. The Blades of Exile cut through the hazy blue images of the dead. One of them backed away from him. "No! Not you again!" Kratos was tireing from this old man. Taking the blades of Exile, he sliced the spirit into small peices. "This time stay dead!" Kratos yelled at the remains. He burst through the the doors on the other side into a street full of people and strange moving objects on wide roads. Kratos sheathed the blades since no one seemed to notice him. He noticed that every one was walking in a hurry, there were no streat vendors, and every man woman and even children were talking into some strange object that they kept close to their ear.

"Terrible, isn't it?" a voice asked. Sitting next to him was an old man with dark skin. "Who are you old man?" Kratos asked, his voice still in it's cold manor. The old man laughed and took a swig on a bottle. "Care for a drink my friend? It has been a thousand years since your last drink has it not?" Kratos leaned down and took the offered bottle. He tipped it back and shuttered as the taste of warm liquid poured onto his tounge and into the back of his throat. The man gave a throaty laugh at Kratos's reaction. "I can say this, mortal wine has better taste than in your time Kratos." "You still haven't told me who you are, old man." The man took the bottle and stood.

"Tis I Kratos. The grave digger who buried your mother and brother." Kratos stepped closer to the old man. "How are you still alive? You should have died of old age after I had died in Greece!" The old man started to walk and Kratos followed him. "The Gods deemed me worthy of immortality, but I am forced to live on nothing but wine and my wits. This bottle never empties you see." Kratos didn't care about the bottle's magic properties, he wanted information. "If the gods have cursed you as well, then perhaps you will help me." The grave digger laughed again and turned a corner.

"There is much I can tell you Ghost of Sparta. But first, there is something you must do. Now this isn't a random task, far from it. There is a camp, children of the gods that are trained to fight in their name. Destroy them, and not only will I tell you what you need to know but also you will have destoryed an army of the gods!" he said laughing. Kratos scratched his beard, thinking it over. "Where is this encampment?" he asked. The grave digger stopped and pointed to a small doorway a hundred feet away gaurded by two people in armor. "Through that doorway, there you will arive in New Rome. An ecampment of half-bloods and mortals loyal to the gods."

Kratos stepped forward past the grave digger. "And Spartan," the old man said. "You shall see your son soon enough." Kratos gave a small nod and walked away, to kill an entire city.

"Damnit this sucks!" Frank said for the upteenth time. Hazel sighed and shifted in the hot sun. "Frank will you just shut up." she said. Frank leaned against the wall and sipt on the ground. "Well think about it Hazel! We're decorated hero's of Rome and we get stuck on gaurd duty! Plus we get Jason back to lead again and he goes back to that Camp Half-Blood!" Hazel loosened the straps on her armor and faced her friend. "Look we were asigned gaurd duty. Just deal with it!" Frank grumbled but stopped when someone stepped into his line of sight.

"Hey, who's that?" Frank asked. Hazel turned to see a man with pure white skin, a red swirling mark on his left side, and 2 blade hilts on his back. "Dunno, maybe some cosplayer that got lost." Frank grunted. "What the hell would he be cosplaying?" The man came closer and pulled the twin blades out from behind his back. "That doesn't look good." Hazel said. "Prepare for a fight." she said readying her sword. Frank notched an arrow and waited.

Kratos charged after pulling the Blades of Exile out. The two gaurds readied their weapons as Kratos jumped onto the archer. The boy's eyes widened as Kratos buried a blade into his chest, running his heart through. The boy coffed up blood as Kratos leaped backwards when Hazel slashed at him. "Frank!" she said, running to his aide. "Hazel, run." Frank gasped. The girl shook her head. "I'm not leaving you!" Blood splattered on Frank's chest, as one of Kratos's blades peirced her armor and through her chest. Frank looked in shock as Hazel's body fell on top of him as Kratos retrieved his bloodied blade.

Tears streamed down Frank's face, mixing with Hazel's blood. "No, no damnit! This can't be happening!" Kratos walked up to the lad and looked down at him. "If there is anyone to blame child," he said. "blame the Gods." With that, Kratos knelt and thrust his blade into Frank's skull. The life drained from his eyes, leaving both of the gaurds dead. Kratos stood and walked in through the door way into the way to New Rome.

Kratos heard cries for readying arms and shouting as he stepped into an expansive feild, a river flowing in front of him. A large compound stood on the other side of the river. He carried the Blades of Exile at his waist, walking slowly towards the river. None of the archer's fired an arrow as he stepped into the rushing water. The water rushed by his legs, trying to tear him down to the end. The Ghost of Sparta watched as the archers were twitching in their posts. As the edge of the river was close by, the leader of the front gaurd lowered his sword. "Fire!"

Kratos dashed out of the river as thousands of arrows sailed through the air toward him. Several soldiers armed with golden swords and spears charged him. Twirling the Blades of Exile, he cut his way through the soldiers. As he reached the gates, he jumped into the air and brought both of the blades down the middle. The gate shattering caused several supports to shatter, bringing down the catwalks ringing the gate.

Several soldiers fell from the catwalks onto the hard ground, dieing instantly. Kratos walked among the corpses of the Romans. Looking on to the bigger emcampment in the valley. From where he stood, he could see more soldiers scurrying around. "I shall not be stopped." He said under his breath. He gave out a bone shaking cry and ran into the onslaught of Roman soldiers.


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

(New Rome, senate chamber; 11:38)

The bodies of the dead were scattered everywhere. Blood spoiled the roads and grass, making a river of blood from the Roamn Legion camp to the town of innocents. The dead were unmercily killed and strung about everywhere with deep blade gashes on every inch of their bodys. The men, women, and children were all killed sparing none. The last body had fallen only 10 minutes ago, that one body belonging to the sole praetor. She had fought well for a mortal. Kratos sat in the throne at the end of the room, drinking a mug of wine.

The grave digger entered the senate chamber looking at the pools of blood scattered around the room. "Hmmm, you've created a great blood trail Spartan. Did they die honorably?" Kratos didn't move his head in the dim light of the chanber, a dark shadow covering the side if his face. "It does not matter how they died, now tell me what I need to know." The grve digger nodded and took a swig of his wine. "True, true. Listen well God of Sparta." The digger sat down at a table and kicked his feet up.

"Long ago, after Athena used the power of Hope to recreaet the gods. The Olympians restarted everything, they rewrote history differently saying that instead of having Zeus kill the Titans with the Blade of Olympus but rather he and his brothers Hades and Poesidon chopped him up with his own sythe. When they recreated the mortals and all of their own children, their was but one problem. The children of the gods all remembered you." Kratos took a swig of wine. "I am hard to forget about old man." The grave digger smiled and laughed. "Yes you are Ghost of Sparta. Now where was I?

The gods thought of this as a minor problem so they didn't care when you were mentioned. Untill you were nearing the edge of Tartarus." Kratos stood and walked into the dim light. "What of my son? Do the gods know of him yet?" he asked. The grave digger took a long swig on his wine and shook his head. "Ikelik is only known about through Aphrodite's allies. Hephaestus has also joined in your cause." Kartos cocked an eyebrow. "Why has the forge god sided with us?" he asked. The grave digger and stood at the edge of New Rome's symbol. "You saved his daughter Kratos, remember? In the old times Zeus had imprisoned Pandora, and you had rescued her and treated her as your on daughter. Hephaestus wishes to repay his debt to you."

"What of the other gods?" he asked. The digger laughed. "Several of the 'minor' gods have sided with Aphrodite in your quest for vengance. Your biggest supporter is Nemesis by the way." Kratos walked to the entrance of the chamber. "I must go, my son awaits my arrival." The grave digger and reached for the Spartan's arm. "Wait Kratos, you don't even know where Ikelik is!" Kratos shrugged the old man off. "I know where to find my son, he will seek out Hephaestus to forge him armor from the Hydra scale he has collected." "But how-" the grave digger stamered. Kratos turned to leave once more. "Aphrodite showed me a location of Hepheastus's Island forge, and of Ikelik claiming the scale of the Hydra."

The grave digger just watched as the Ghost of Sparta walked out of the Senate chamber, leaving a bone chilling cold atmosphere in the room of death and blood.

The _Ghosts of Sparta _sailed smoothly over the water, once more making it's way into the Sea of Monsters. Ikelik hung from the ropes watching as the ship sailed past large rocks toward an active volcanoe, the island forges of Hephaestus. The wind wipped through his hair, and sea water splashed his face. He hopped down from the ropes and stood next to Jessica. "So you think Hephaestus will just willing betray the gods to forge you the armor?" she asked. Ikelik crossed his arms. "I'm sure of it. My mother says he's on our side, and I trust her with all of my heart." His mind wandered to the other night. _'It's all right to embrace your feelings, even when it's about other women.'_ He heard his mother say again.

_'I will mother, just not now.'_ he thought. Jessica tore her eyes from the island and to her friend. "Uh Ikelik, can I ask you something?" she asked. Ikelik looked her in the eye. "Sure, what's on your mind?"Jessica twirled her fingers. "Well, it's just-" "Cracken!" a voice screamed intereupting her. The 2 turned to see large tentacles rise up from the water, mermen hanging from them. "Enemy attack!" an amazon cried. Ikelik ran forward, drawing the Blades of Fate from his back and jumping onto the nearest tentacle closest to him. He hooked the blades into the creatures leathery skin and started to to climb up to the top.

Jessica pulled out her bow and reached for some of her 'special' arrows. She rolled out of the way as a tentacle swung and tuck the main mast off. She notched the arrow and fired at one on her left. The arrow stuck inside the skin of the cracken and exploded. Chunks of cracken meat rained on the deck, wetting the amazons and herself with blood. "Get the children below decks!" she said to the scrambling ghosts.

Ikelik made it to the top of the tentacle and killed the merman on top, cutting the man to shreds. He put both of his blades together, forming the Blade of Fate, causing the air around him to heat up as an orange glow surronded him. He jumped into the air spinning, coming down on the lim slicing it in half. When he fell into the water, he reached into his pocket and pulled a small trident and put it over his throat. Looking down into the murky water, he could see the head of the cracken below the ship. 'He's going to capsize it!' he thought.

Swimming deeper into the ice cold water, he threw the blade at the giant octopus embedding it in the beasts forhead. The beast roared, he would have heard it if it was above water, and let go of the ship swimming in deeper. Dragging along scrambling figures he took for the mermen. He swam back to the surface and waved at a ghost who was leaning over the edge. "Bring a rope for the master!" he yelled to the others. An amazon picked up a bundle of rope into the water and held the otehr end as Ikelik climbed up. When he reached the top, he thanked the woman and looked around his ship. The ghosts were rebuilding the mast head as the amazons treated their wounded.

As one ghost passed by, he stopped him. "How long untill the mast is repaired?" The ghost looked over to the mast. "Should take about at least an hour my league." Ikelik nodded. "Make it half." he walked off. "What was the point of that attack?" he thought aloud. "Mast Ikelik!" a young voice called. He turned to see a young girl run up to him. "Settle down child, Tailos was it?" The girl nodded, out of breath. "Yes lord, but listen. Lady Jessica was taken by the cracken!" Ikelik's eye's widened. "Was anyone else taken?" he asked. Tailos nodded. "Yes Lord, Lady Telootha and several other's were taken too." Ikelik turned from the girl and ran to the edge of the ship.

Jumping off the ship, he made sure the trident was pressed to his throat he took in a deep breath. "Master Ikelik!" a ghost cried after him. He hit the water hard and fast, ignoring the pain he started swimming fast downward to chase the cracken. _'Hold on Jess, please hold on 'till I get there!'_

Jessica struggled against the grip of the cracken, struggling to keep air in her lungs. She tried reaching for one of her arrows ready to stab the thing till it bled to death, only for her hand to be held be a merman. He shook his head, as if to communicate that it would be a bad idea to do that. He cuffed her hands together behind her back as another took her quiver. _'Damnit, can't hold on any longer!'_ she thought.

The cracken stopped moving and pushed it's tentacles into a strange coral formation. Jessica shut her eyes, trying to keep her mouth clamped shut. She was about to let the salt water into her lungs when she entered an air pocket. The tentacle let go of her, leaving her in some sort of cell. The walls were wet coral, she could barely see the other women that were taken from the ship. A merman swam into her cell holding something behind his back. "You made a grave mistake sideing with that man." he said. Jessica spit on his tail. "I do what I choose to do, the gods don't decide my fate." The meramn smiled wickedly. "Your right, they don't. Because right now, I do." Behind his back he pulled an electric eal and hit her with it. An electric current flowed through her entire body, shocking her to the core.

The man laughed as he hit her again and again. She screamed in pain as electricty coursed through her entire body. When the merman took a break to clutch his sides, she jumped from the ground and tried hitting him. The merman took her by the neck and threw her into the back wall. Coral bit into her skin, slicing her clothes and drawing blood. "That was the worse mistake of your life girly." he said. He pulled a peice of coral off of the wall and crawled up next to her. "Now the real fun begins."

He raised the chunk of coral up, probably to end her life, when an explosion was heard outside the cell. "What the hell?" he said. Jessica watched as a silver blade tipped with blade jutted out from his back. The blade moved up to the merman's head, cleaving him in 2. Ikelik stood in front of the cell, slightly covered in blood from the merman. "You alright Jess?" he asked, untying her hands. Jessica leaped up from the floor and clung to Ikelik. Shocked, the young Spartan didn't do anything. He then slowly wrapped his hands around her waist.

"Sorry if I'm a bit late." he said into her ear. Jessica let go of him and he helped her up. "You came, that's all that matters." Ikelik nodded and handed her a small trident. "Put this on your neck, it'll allow you to breathe under water." Jessica took it and placed at the center of her neck, the small trident hung there like it was magnetised. Ikelik turned and jumped out of the entrance to the cell, outside the other amazons were swimming out of their own cells. Ikelik waved for them all to follow him and he started back up to the shadow of the _Ghosts of Sparta_. When they surfaceed, ropes were hanging down from the edge of the ship, allowing them to climb up the side and onto the deck.

Sitting in the middle of the ship was a merman wearing coral, cloth, and jewels tied up. Ikelik walked up to the merman and kicked him onto the deck, pressing his boot into his cheek. "Where's Poesidon?" he asked, hate filling his voice. The merman coughed. "He isn't here, he didn't know I was doing this." Ikelik chuckled. "Well like it or not your father know's your here now." Ikelik hoisted the boy onto the railing of the ship and drew his right blade. "Do you hear me Poesidon?" Ikelik roared off into the sea. "You should have known your son would try something, and here he dies for his actions!" With that Ikelik thrusted the blade into the back of the boy's neck, blood gushing from jagged hole left by the blade. Ikelik pulled the blade out and kicked the merman into the water, watching as blood fell from the body in torrents.

The sea formed around the body, carrying it down into the bottom of the ocean. Ikelik watched as the blood mixed with the sea foam, causing a pink hue to suround the ship. Poesidon would enter the fight, wether he wanted to or not


End file.
